Close not enough as Jags lose to North Texas 24-14

DENTON, TEXAS -- These have been trying times for South Alabama's football team. The past few weeks the Jaguars have come close to winning games, yet have just one victory in their past five games.

Jereme' Jones hauls in 13-yard pass from Ross Metheny for a South Alabama touchdown in the first half of Saturday's 14-14 loss at North Texas. Jones and the Jags have made plays in recent games, just not enough of them. (Photo by Scott Donaldson, courtesy of South Alabama.)

They have taken on some of the Sun Belt Conference's better teams and have come close to winning games. But as any football fan will let you know, close isn't the aim in college football.

It's not the goal of the Jags' either, but it does indicate where the South Alabama program is as only a fourth-year program -- and how far it still has to go .

"I told the guys in there I'll never quit on them,'' head coach Joey Jones said after the Jags' 24-14 loss at North Texas on Saturday. "... We've got to stick together. We knew this year was going to be like this. We knew it. So we've got to stick together.

"I think everyone of those guys in (the Jags' locker room), they really care about each other and that's all I can worry about right now. I can't worry about what anybody else says. We've just got to keep working and keep building these men up. They're going through a tough thing right now. They're being asked to step up in a very good Division I league and play and try to win and we're just coming up a little bit short in a lot of games.''

Jones said there are three, maybe four plays a game that have made a big difference in recent games; the opponents have been able to make those plays or benefit from those plays, while the Jags have not.

Quarterback Ross Metheny said it has been tough, but the players will keep pushing forward.

"Good teams learn from the losses and watch film and make corrections and move forward and that's what we've got to do,'' he said. "We'll go in and watch tape and keep moving forward. Put it behind us. It's tough.

"There comes a point when being close is not enough and again, we;re so close in so many games. We've got three more chances. Hopefully we'll put it all together in these last three and win some football games.''